Trainer Shug McGaughey takes his horse, Kentucky Derby winner Orb, out for lunch at Pimlico in Baltimore, in front of the sign of the last Triple Crown winner. / Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY Sports

by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

Veteran turf writer Jennie Rees of The (Louisville) Courier-Journal looks at the nine-horse Preakness field for Saturday's race, in order of post position:

Orb

Saddlecloth: No. 1. Odds: Even.

Record, earnings: 8: 5-0-1 ($2,335,850)

Last start: Won Kentucky Derby, May 4

Best Beyer speed figure: 104

Sire: Malibu Moon

Dam: Lady Liberty (Unbridled)

Jockey: Joel Rosario

Trainer: Shug McGaughey

Owners-breeders: Stuart Janney III

LLC & Phipps Stable

Why he can win: As his five-race winning streak indicates, Orb is simply the best horse, bred for these classic distances and continuing to improve. He came very wide to win the Derby and won't have as many horses to go around this time.

Why he can't: Since Bally Ache in 1960, only Tabasco Cat in 1994 has won from the rail. His being measurably better than the competition is an illusion. Other Derby horses might have hated the Churchill Downs mud and pull a surprise here.

Goldencents

Saddlecloth: No. 2. Odds: 8-1.

Record, earnings: 7: 4-1-0 ($1,250,000)

Last start: 17th, Kentucky Derby, May 4

Best Beyer: 105

Sire: Into Mischief

Dam: Golden Works (Into Gold)

Jockey: Kevin Krigger

Trainer: Doug O'Neill

Owners: W. C. Racing, Dave Kenney and RAP Racing

Breeders: Rosecrest Farm & Karyn Pirrello

Why he can win: He had never run a poor race until encountering a surface he hated when 17th in the Derby, and he's never lost two in a row. His 105 Beyer speed figure in the Santa Anita Derby is the fastest of this group. They'll have to catch him from the No. 2 post. Louis Quatorze won the Preakness after finishing 16th in the 1996 Kentucky Derby - and did it wire-to-wire.

Why he can't: No horse has come from 17th in the Derby to win the Preakness. (Fairness note: No other 17th-place Derby finishers ran in the Preakness. But there's a reason for that.)

Notable: Goldencents is partly owned by Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino. He won't be at Pimlico, but his son, new Minnesota hoops coach Richard Pitino, will represent Dad.

Titletown Five

Saddlecloth: No. 3. Odds: 30-1.

Record, earnings: 7: 1-2-1 ($87,398)

Last start: 4th, Derby Trial, April 27

Best Beyer: 98

Sire: Tiznow

Dam: D'Wildcat Speed (Forest Wildcat)

Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

Owner: Group that includes Paul Hornung, Willie Davis and Lukas

Breeder: Stonestreet LLC

Why he can win: If anyone knows about winning championships, it's five-time Preakness winner Lukas and the owner partnership that includes former Green Bay Packers and Pro Football Hall of Famers Hornung and Davis.

Why he can't: He's a very nice horse who doesn't want to run that far. He's the only horse in the field with only one win.

Departing

Saddlecloth: No. 4. Odds: 6-1.

Record, earnings: 5: 4-0-1 ($628,000)

Last start: Won Illinois Derby, April 20

Best Beyer: 97

Sire: War Front

Dam: Leave (Pulpit)

Jockey: Brian Hernandez

Trainer: Al Stall

Owner-breeder: Claiborne Farm

Why he can win: The Illinois Derby victor is an improving horse, with four wins and a third (in the Louisiana Derby) in five starts. The Louisiana Derby was the most underrated prep of the season. The racing gods want to jerk Churchill Downs' chain for leaving the Illinois Derby out of its new points system.

Why he can't: He hasn't improved as much as Orb. There's a reason Churchill Downs left the Illinois Derby out of its points system.

Mylute

Saddlecloth: No. 5. Odds: 5-1.

Record, earnings: 10: 2-3-2 ( $477,695)

Last start: Fifth, Kentucky Derby, May 4

Best Beyer: 93

Sire: Midnight Lute

Dam: Stage Stop (Valid Expectations)

Jockey: Rosie Napravnik

Trainer: Tom Amoss

Owners: GoldMark Farm & Whisper Hills Farm

Breeder: Mike G. Rutherford

Why he can win: He is thriving at the right time and was just a neck out of finishing third in the Derby. He'll be flying at the end, and the shorter distance will help. The racing gods would love for Napravnik to be the first female jockey to win the Preakness.

Why he can't: He had basically the same trip as Orb in the Derby and finished fifth.

Notable: Napravnik started her career at Pimlico and got her first win there.

Oxbow

Saddlecloth: No. 6. Odds: 15-1.

Record, earnings:10: 2-1-1 ($383,500)

Last start: 6th, Kentucky Derby, May 4

Best Beyer: 95

Sire: Awesome Again

Dam: Tizamazing (Cee's Tizzy)

Jockey: Gary Stevens

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

Owner: Calumet Farm

Breeder: Colts Neck Stables LLC

Why he can win: He was the only horse up close to the pace early who was competitive into the final furlong of the Derby. A different pace scenario and shorter distance let him get the job done.

Why he can't: He's not as fast as others in this field.

Will Take Charge

Saddlecloth: No. 7. Odds:12-1.

Record, earnings: 8: 3-1-0 ($545,371)

Last start: 8th, Kentucky Derby, May 4

Best Beyer: 95

Sire: Unbridled's Song

Dam: Take Charge Lady (Dehere)

Jockey: Mike Smith

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

Owner: Willis D. Horton

Breeder: Eaton

Why he can win: He was moving with Orb when he was forced to a halt as Verrazano stopped and swerved in front of him in the Derby. With a clean trip, he'll make things interesting at a price.

Why he can't: He doesn't want to run that far.

Govenor Charlie

Saddlecloth: No. 8. Odds: 12-1.

Record, earnings: 3: 2-1-0 ($444,800)

Last start: Won Sunland Derby, March 24

Best Beyer: 95

Sire: Midnight Lute

Dam: Silverbulletway (Storm Cat)

Jockey: Martin Garcia

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owner-breeder: Mike E. Pegram

Why he can win: Like Lukas, Baffert is a five-time Preakness winner who knows how to win this race. His outside post is perfect for his up-close but stalking style. He has raced three times and has improved by leaps and bounds each time, with form similar to another unraced 2-year-old who won the 2006 Preakness in his fourth start: Bernardini.

Why he can't: There's a reason few horses win the Preakness without first running in the Kentucky Derby (Bernardini being an exception). That's because the best 3-year-olds, at least in the spring at classic distances, are in the Derby.

Itsmyluckyday

Saddlecloth: No. 9. Odds:10-1.

Record, earnings: 11: 5-2-1 ($625,600)

Last start: 15th, Kentucky Derby, May 4

Best Beyer: 104

Sire: Lawyer Ron

Dam: Viva La Slew (Doneraile Court)

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Eddie Plesa Jr.

Owners: Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa

Breeders: Liberation Farm and Brandywine Farm

Why he can win: He hated the Derby slop. He looked too good and trained too well to run that poorly for a horse who finished second (as the favorite) off a layoff in the Florida Derby to Orb. He picks up Velazquez as rider.

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